San Francisco Opera invites you and your family to attend FREE screenings of our Opera-in-an-Hour Movies presented throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn about where you can catch a screening of our family friendly operas, click here.

Earlier this week, General Director David Gockley bestowed the Spirit of the Opera Award, the highest honor the Opera Association confers upon members of our community, to a man who needs no introduction to Bay Area opera fans.

David began his presentation with the definition of a maven: a trusted expert in a particular field, who seeks to pass knowledge onto others, “one who understands,” based on an accumulation of knowledge.

Gaetano Donizetti’s beloved bel canto opera Lucia di Lammermoor returns to the War Memorial Opera House stage this October after seven years. The new production will be directed by Michael Cavanagh and stars German soprano Diana Damrau as Lucia and Polish tenor Piotr Beczala as Edgardo.

The latest crop of talented young artists from all over the world recently joined us here in San Francisco for our interationally acclaimed training program. Over the next few months, we will be profiling each one of our Adler Fellows here at "Backstage at San Francisco Opera." But first, you can get a sneak peek of the high level of talent this year's artists will bring to the main stage and throughout the Bay Area.

The news is out and people are thrilled! Stephen Sondheim’s macabre musical thriller Sweeney Todd; The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is coming to San Francisco Opera. Described as a Grand Guignol horror show (look it up!), Sweeney Todd marks the return of brilliant Canadian Baritone, Gerald Finley in the title role, mezzo soprano, Stephanie Blythe as Mrs. Lovett and Heidi Stober as Johanna. Following the announcement, many of our fabulous artists and fans turned to twitter to share their eager anticipation for the 2015–16 Season.

Our dear friend Placido Domingo recently celebrated his 74th birthday. In celebration of his birthday, we thought we’d share this special video of the brilliant tenor performing one of his signature arias, “Quando le sere al placido.” In this show-stopping aria, Rodolfo has received a letter from Luisa saying that she never loved him. He is crushed and reminisces about the happy times they had together.

Introduction

Backstage at San Francisco Opera is a fascinating, fast-moving, mysterious and sacred space for the Company’s singers, musicians, dancers, technicians and production crews. Musical and staging rehearsals are on-going, scenery is loaded in and taken out, lighting cues are set, costumes and wigs are moved around and everything is made ready to receive the audience. From the principal singers, chorus and orchestra musicians to the creative teams for each opera, in addition to the many talented folks who don’t take a bow on stage, this blog offers unique insight, both thought-provoking and light-hearted, into the life backstage at San Francisco Opera.